Mesopotamia: Ancient Art and Architecture

Description

In this fascinating and compelling book, Zainab Bahrani introduces readers to the spectacular images and monuments of this region of the Near East, covering modern Iraq, northeast Syria and southeast Turkey. As the narrative unfolds, readers will learn about the art of the legendary civilizations that flourished between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, and how it was made and received. She addresses the present-day situation in these lands and the violent destruction that continues to threaten the rich cultural heritage of Mesopotamia. Chapter-opening maps and overviews guide readers through the geography and chronology of Mesopotamia, visiting the ancient cities of Ur, Babylon, Nineveh, Hatra and Seleucia on the Tigris. The book includes a glossary that defines all art-historical and technical terminology.

Zainab Bahrani is Edith Porada Professor of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University, New York. She is the author of numerous books, including The Infinite Image: Art, Time and the Aesthetic Dimension in Antiquity, winner of the Lionel Trilling Prize in 2015, and Rituals of War: The Body and Violence in Mesopotamia, winner of the American Historical Association's James Henry Breasted Prize.

'Gloriously illustrated ... this book will undoubtedly persuade even a sceptical reader of the artistic allure of ancient Mesopotamia' - Daily Telegraph 'Illuminates the artistic creativity of ancient Mesopotamia with new and profound conceptualizations for our generation' - Harvey Weiss, Yale University 'The book is deeply informed by up-to-date scholarship and reflects significant new directions in approaches to Mesopotamian art over the past few decades' - Ann Gunter, Northwestern University 'A must-have book' - Timeless Travels